


Asymptotes

by ghostystarr



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nerd Alert, Punk and Nerd AU, Romance, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-02-28 23:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2751857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostystarr/pseuds/ghostystarr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will and Nico are polar opposites, on separate axies.  Somehow, that doesn’t stop them from drifting closer.  AU Solangelo; punk!Nico, nerd!Will</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. X

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Qwerty_Kirby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qwerty_Kirby/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Qwerty_Kirby! <3 Happy Birthday!!
> 
> This was supposed to be a one-shot but (as usual) I got carried away. Part II will be up soon! :3

Will Solace was many things.  He had been called proud, prim, and perfectionistic.   He liked an order to things, liked being able to solve a problem no one else could, liked piecing together a long puzzle that left others scratching their heads. He didn’t mind sitting down and reading a nice book on the weekends just as much as he didn’t mind it if that book so happened to be a dry, brain-numbing medical text full of Latin terms and diagnoses.

He had wanted to work in a hospital ever since he had been born in one. There was something poetic about it; beginning and ending in the same place. A complete circle, a complete journey around the clock.

His parents were proud when he was accepted to his first-choice university. Both of them were established doctors, progressing medical research years into the future, so it was only natural for Will to follow in their footsteps. His life was a straight, neat little line which was ever-stretching forward – clear and clean. An arrow which had been broken in half the moment a young man walked into his art history class twenty minutes late and sat down at the seat diagonal from him.

Will glared at the newcomer the whole time he bustled past other students to reach the seat. It was the third week! How could he _still_ be late by the third week? Had he even made an attempt to be on time?

He glanced over at the yawning man, who seemed to have not brought along any paper or pencils. His hair was black, darker than a raven, with messy, careless tufts blown out in all directions. He was ghostly white against his dark clothing. Black jeans with holes frayed all over, black t-shirt with some rather offensive words emblazoned on the front, converses falling apart, and Will honestly couldn’t tell whether there was makeup under his eyes or if it was simply dark bags. His ears were pierced with several metal rings and studs, and Will’s eyes widened when he realized his lip was pierced as well. The man’s t-shirt revealed his tattoos – a complete sleeve on his left arm while his right arm had several smaller ones. Will could spot a line of ink peeking out _just_ above his collarbone.

 _Good luck getting a job one day,_ Will thought immediately. Between the devil-may-care attitude and the devil-is-my-roommate appearance, Will figured he was just another punk and left it at that.

It wasn’t until he’d accidentally caught the back of the punk’s shoe on his way out that he even spoke to him at all. “Ah, sorry!” he squeaked, flinching at how quickly the other man spun around, as if prepping himself for a fight. Their eyes met; Will staring fearfully into the dark pools of obsidian. Something strange happened to Will’s chest right then. If he didn’t know any better, he would say he would be going into some sort of cardiac distress.

When he seemed to decide that Will wasn’t a threat, he huffed and crossed his arms. “It’s fine,” he muttered and _hello accent._

The man was gone before Will could recover. Quickly, Will shook himself and hurried back to his dorm, pretending that those eyes hadn’t had _that sort_ of effect on him at all.

He was out eating with some friends when he learned his name.

“Here comes Nico di Angelo. God, doesn’t he ever smile?” Lou Ellen muttered into her sandwich.

Will glanced up. “Who?”

She gestured with her free hand to a few tables down, where three boys were sitting. Will almost choked on his soda when he spotted the punk from his art history class. He looked less threatening when he was squashed between two normal-looking guys, almost cute with the way his nose wrinkled in distaste as the boy beside him drank something unnaturally blue. “The kid in the black. I went to high school with him. He used to be a big dork but now he’s the poster child for emo music.”

“Any reason?” his friend Cecil asked.

Lou Ellen shrugged. “I heard someone in his family passed away, but he never talked about it. All I know is he left school for a few weeks and everyone barely recognized him when he came back. Pretty sure he came out last summer.”

Will’s heart constricted again as he watched the raven-haired punk across the hall. Nico di Angelo. Just as he thought the name, Nico glanced up suddenly and their gaze met. Nico looked away immediately but Will just stared, frowning.

During their next art history class, Will sat behind Nico, trying to tell himself that it was only because it would be easier to see the board since the boy was so short. Yet, the whole time, Will found himself studying Nico’s tattoos, wondering what each one meant and when he’d gotten them. He stared the longest at the image of an angel with broken wings, reaching up at something Will couldn’t see from his angle. It made him feel… strangely sad. What sorts of emotions were going through Nico’s head when he’d gotten something like that?

He looked at another, near Nico’s elbow, of a rose with thorns curling down a black sword running along his forearm. It made him look tough and… and cool. Really cool. In fact, Will might have even said attractive.

Will only realized class was over when Nico rocketed out of his chair and blew past the classroom doors like a bat out of hell. Dazed and unable to believe that he hadn’t written down a single note, Will collected his things and followed. His heart flip-flopped when he saw Nico standing outside the building and his brain immediately concocted a fantasy where Nico had been waiting for him. But, a man with blonde hair and glasses approached Nico as he was digging in his pockets. They exchanged a few words and Nico pulled out a pack of cigarettes. The blonde grimaced and tried to take them away, but Nico just barked at him to shut up and lit one anyways.

Will scowled at nothing in particular and decided to walk off instead of standing there looking like a jealous idiot. Of _course_ he had a boyfriend! Someone like Nico di Angelo could probably get whoever he wanted what with his mysterious allure, deep eyes, and that stupid, hot accent. Will never would have stood a chance. He was the complete opposite with his bright shirts and trousers and sunny-personality and the way his calendar was organized from then until next August.

Still, he had the desire to walk over and force Nico di Angelo to put out that cigarette. He had to know how terrible that was for his body! Why would anyone want to hurt themselves like that?

 _Why do you care?_ He thought quickly. _You’ve never even really spoken to him. He’s probably never even noticed you._

Will clutched onto the strap of his overstuffed backpack tightly as he made his way to the library. He drowned out thoughts of the dark-haired punk with terminology that he didn’t need to know until the next exam. It was never too early to start studying, he reasoned.

Unfortunately, Will had the tendency of overloading his brain with useless facts and long definitions (and the complex combinations to all his favorite videogames) and would simply plop from exhaustion. As such, Will nodded off in the comfy chair in the upper floors of the library, book slipping from his hand.

…

“Will Solace,” Jason said.

Nico di Angelo snapped his attention from his phone, scowling. “What?”

“That’s the guy’s name. The one from your art history class. The one you’re trying to find on Facebook right now.”

Nico scoffed and quickly dropped his phone onto his bed, ignoring his roommate’s knowing smirk. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered and folded his arms behind his head.

Jason rolled his eyes but spun around in his desk chair in order to type away at some English paper. Nico supposed he should start working on his own, but – hell – he might as well just nab Jason’s, change a few things, and presto – instant paper. “You can deny it all you want,” Jason told him irritably, “but I saw you watching him earlier. Again, his name is Will Solace.”

“Shut up!” Nico snapped. “I wasn’t looking at _anyone!_ If anything, I was stupefied at how much nerd power could fit into one person.”

Jason sighed, but didn’t take his eyes away from his screen. “And how did you know who I was talking about if you weren’t looking at anyone, hm? S-O-L-A-C-E. He might go by William. So try that, too.”

Nico thought for a moment then gritted his teeth. “Fuck you, Grace,” he hissed. Anyone else would have either punched him or run from him when they heard that tone, but Jason just shrugged innocently and kept writing.

He took his roommate’s silence as a personal victory and picked back up his phone. He was only mildly curious, just wanted to know if Nico’s suspicions about him were correct, and Jason had put it in his head anyways. He searched ‘Will Solace’ on Facebook and spotted him immediately at the top of the list. Nico would have laughed at his profile picture if Jason hadn’t been sitting ten feet away from him.

It was definitely the geek from his art history class. His neat, styled blonde hair and toothy, blinding grin gave it away immediately. He was wearing a white doctor’s coat with a collared shirt and tie underneath. One of those headbands with the round mirror was around his forehead and a stethoscope hung around his neck. He looked… ridiculous. It was obviously from Halloween, but, really, a full doctor costume?

He already knew the kid was a bookworm. He practically hung on the professor’s every word and would nod along as he scribbled down notes so quickly Nico wondered how his pencil wasn’t smoking. He always raised his hand – to ask a question or to answer one – and never missed, was never late. He was one of _those_ types of people, the kind that Nico would scoff at and promptly avoid. However, something about _this_ goody-two-shoes made Nico’s eyes flicker over to him every so often.

He was devastatingly handsome. That was a given. But it was more than that. When he had suddenly moved to the seat directly behind him, Nico could feel the other boy’s stare on him. It was probably out of curiosity or disapproval but Nico didn’t care. He just took off his jacket, letting the blonde get a glimpse of the tattoos running down his arms. He had plenty more, of course, and wouldn’t have minded showing off only he was pretty sure that his professor wouldn’t appreciate him stripping his shirt off in the middle of his lecture. Besides, men like Will Solace didn’t find guys like Nico di Angelo attractive. Based on the fact that there was a pretty brunette girl hanging off his arm in his profile pic, Nico figured Will Solace didn’t find guys attractive at all.

 _Shame,_ Nico thought as he studied Will’s handsome face before closing the app and dragging himself to his feet. He got to work on putting on his heavy boots.

“Where are you going?” Jason muttered.

“Smoke.”

“Again?” Jason shook his head. “Those things are awful. And they make our room smell.”

“Worse than your gym-clothes’ stench?” Nico wrinkled his nose. “Doubtful.”

“Your dad is gonna find out if you keep this up, yanno.”

Nico snorted, shrugging on his bomber jacket and sticking an unlit cigarette in his mouth. “Watch me quiver in fear,” he said sarcastically and marched out of the room, letting the door slam behind him.

It was cold out, but that was how Nico preferred it. The sun never did him any favors.

He found himself stumbling towards the library. People rarely ever walked by the back which made it perfect for when he just wanted to be left alone. Pretty much that was all of the time, since people made it a point to be assholes. But he was used to the whispers, the glares, the look of fear from a passerby. He’d always been called a delinquent, a nothing. Why not give the people what they wanted?

He leaned up against the library wall and dug around for his lighter. The damn thing never quite lit correctly, but Nico couldn’t find it in himself to throw the defective thing away. It wasn’t its fault it was a product of faulty manufacturing. Yet, getting it to lit was a pain in the ass. By the time he’d gotten it to spark and had lit his cigarette, his thumb was tired.

“This is a no smoking zone!” a sudden voice called, nearly making Nico drop his lighter. However, he managed to keep composed enough to sneer up at whoever was bugging him. A rude insult was pushing at his lips when he recognized the man walking over to him and he froze. Will Solace stood a few feet away from him with one hand on his hip and the other gesturing up to the large ‘NO SMOKING’ sign that was directly above Nico’s head.

Nico snorted at the stern look on the other man’s face. “And what’re you gonna do about it?” he asked in his best ‘get lost’ voice.

He could see Will’s confidence waver slightly, could see the apprehensive tension in his muscles, but Will just took a step forward. “Secondhand smoke has up to fifty times more toxic particles than diesel or exhaust fumes.”

Nico blinked. “…What?”

“PPAHs,” Will blurted out, as if unable to help himself.

“What the hell is that?”

“Particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.” Will crossed his arms. “It’s full of nicotine, acetone, hydrazine, hydrogen cyanide. Basically you’re inhaling nail polish remover, rocket fuel, and rat poison.”

Nico gaped at the sunny blonde in front of him, unable to comprehend how someone just _knew_ those sorts of things. He shook his head. “Leave me alone. I can’t even understand what you’re saying.”

“And you’re releasing them, too! So, not only are you hurting yourself but you’re hurting people around you and the environment.” Will huffed haughtily. Nico was waiting for him to pull out a pair of thick glasses with tape around the bridge to put on and straighten. Will seemed to be looking for a response, but Nico simply didn’t have one.

Other than to blow smoke in Will’s general direction and give him a deep glare. “Free country,” he muttered. He thought about threatening the other boy a bit, show him that Nico di Angelo was not someone he could just push around so easily, but there was a puppy-dog look in Will’s eyes, a genuine concern in his features, and Nico had to look away. He was going soft, wasn’t he? “Are you always this annoying?”

Will puffed out his chest a bit, grinning cheekily. “Pre-med. Occupational hazard.”

Nico scowled. Good-looking, smart, _and_ ambitious. “Whatever,” he hissed and threw his cigarette to the ground, stomping it out with his shoe. “Wouldn’t want to upset the Golden Boy, would I?” He sneered over at Will, expecting to see anger or fear or _something_ other than that _smile._

“I’m a loose cannon, what can I say?” he teased.

Nico’s eye twitched. It was a dangerous thing; teasing. Nico had dealt out black eyes for less. Yet, he shoved his hands in his pockets and restrained himself. For some reason, he just couldn’t find it in himself to hurt the man in front of him. And that really pissed him off. He could practically hear Jason laughing at him already.

Nico didn’t respond. He just brushed past Will, making sure to blow any smoke still in his lungs at him. He didn’t try to hide his smirk when Will gasped and started flailing his hands around in an attempt to wave it off.

 _Stupid kid,_ he thought, and then got upset at how his chest fluttered at the thought.

…

Will couldn’t focus. He was too distracted by the spiked hair in front of him. He _swore_ Nico di Angelo had done it just to screw with him. His hair was usually loose and messy, hanging close to his eyes, but today… oh, man. Nico had buzzed off on side of his hair with an intricate pattern shaved into it while his side-parted bangs were spiked up, showing off his really pretty eyes, and, _God,_ for some reason it was driving Will insane.

“Will, do you have anything to add?”

Will snapped to attention, jumping as he realized half the class was staring at him. Nico turned in his chair, looking somewhere between amused and unimpressed. “Er,” he said intelligibly, “no, not really.”

The professor nodded. “Then, please, do pay attention.”

Will flushed. “Y-yes, sir.”

Nico gave a soft snort before turning back around, ignoring him, and Will went back to his musings, uncaring that he was missing information about the upcoming exam.

When class was over, Nico was again the first one out the door. Sighing, Will picked himself up and gathered his things before making his way to the library to meet Lou Ellen and Cecil.

“I mean, who even wears their hair like that?” Will complained over coffee to his two best friends, who exchanged worried glances. “Delinquents, that’s who! Does he not even care what he looks like? He’ll never get a career, you know!”

A smile spread across Lou Ellen’s face. “I get that you like him, Will, but do you have to be so loud about it?”

“Yeah,” Cecil agreed. “Like, people are watching us, man.”

“Wh-what?” Will’s face erupted into a violent blush. “I-I don’t like him!”

Lou Ellen and Cecil rolled their eyes in sync.

“I don’t!” he pushed. “I-I just don’t care for his knack of smoking in restricted places, that’s all.”

Lou Ellen batted her eyelashes at Cecil. “Oh, Nico! Smoking is bad for you. Please notice me!”

Cecil sniggered and took her hands, holding them close. “I’m sorry, Will! But I’m too dark and mysterious to notice anything behind all this hair!”

“All right, that’s enough!” Will groaned and hid his face in his arms. “Don’t you think I’m embarrassed enough as it is?”

Lou Ellen giggled and patted Will’s head. “Look, Will, maybe you should just forget about Nico. I mean, you guys are just too different.”

Will sighed heavily into his sleeve, blinking at the table beneath him. Forget Nico? He could try. His friends were right. It would be a lost cause to pine after someone as unobtainable as Nico di Angelo. He might as well just start flirting with a bomb.

Lou Ellen and Cecil started talking about classes and some party they went to over the weekend, but Will stayed lost in his own head.

Around six o’clock he decided to go back to his dorm. He took the shortcut he always used, which went along the back of the library. Sure, it was kind of dark and spooky back there but it was also the quickest, most efficient way to his room.

He almost jumped in surprise when he saw a figure leaning up against the wall, blowing smoke into the air.

“No freaking way,” Will muttered. His feet were moving before he could even comprehend it. “Seriously?” he called out louder, garnering the smoker’s attention. “Again? Smoking is not permitted within twenty-feet of any doors or windows!”

Nico di Angelo’s gaze lingered on him for a few moments. If Will didn’t know any better, he would say Nico was checking him out. _“Non parlo inglese,”_ he muttered.

 _“Non fumare!”_ Will retorted right back and Nico’s eyes widened. “I took two years of Italian in high school! Nice try.”

 _“Beh, cazzo me,”_ Nico said. “I’m impressed.”

Will blushed. “Don’t you even care about your own body? I mean, smoking is—”

“Bad for you, yes,” he interrupted with a huff. “Maybe that’s why I do it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means it’s none of your business what I do or why I do them.” Nico glared at him. “Now just get lost, will you?”

Will meant to say something rude back, meant to throw a ton of other health-related facts at him, but something completely different slipped out. “You got your hair cut.”

Nico’s eyebrows furrowed together.

“N-no, I mean, it looks… good.”

Nico looked even more confused.

“Er. Like it’s really unique, and… and…” Will hit himself. “I’m just gonna shut up.”

Nico grinned. _Actually_ grinned. “Now you’re starting to make sense.”

Will’s heart leapt into his throat at the sight of that smile. It was gone as quickly as it had showed up, but he definitely wanted to see that again.

…

It became a routine after that. Once or twice a week, Nico would lean against the brick wall behind the library and Will would come around to nag him deaf about lung disease and lymphoma. Nico would sit, listen, take it, and mutter a few sharp jabs just to see Will’s face turn red. The fact that Will could still stand on two legs was proof enough that Nico had it bad.

“So… What’s your major?” Will asked one day and Nico froze. No, no, no. That wasn’t good. Trading smart comments and clever insults was one thing. Casual conversation was a whole new ballgame, one that Nico failed at. Will would realize that he was nothing special sooner or later and forget about him. As much as Nico hated it, he had started to look forward to the time spent with Will. They’d even shared a few words during class. Not really enough to qualify as friends, but still… something.

Slightly panicking, Nico put his cigarette out and started to leave without a word.

“Hey!” Will called after him. “W-wait!”

Nico shook his head and kept walking even as Will followed him. Did the kid have a death wish? Even his cute face wasn’t going to save him if he kept it up.

Will set his hand down on Nico’s shoulder. Instinctively, Nico lurched out of the foreign touch and spun around, teeth set dangerously. Will backed up, hands held in front of him defensively like a white flag. “Wh-whoa, no need to get feral!”

“What do you want, Solace?” Nico growled and realized his slip-up the moment Will’s eyes started shining.

“You said my name,” he whispered, almost awed.

Nico glared down at the ground. “So?”

“You’ve never said my name before.”

Nico scoffed. “Is your ego so large that you blow up as soon as you get recognition? It’s just a fucking name. Get over it.”

Will looked stricken. “Wh-what? Nico, I was just talking—”

“You’re _always_ talking!” Nico snapped. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was shouting at Will. He wasn’t sure what the sense of fear was rippling through him. But he couldn’t stop. “Can’t you just shut up for more than two seconds? Leave me _alone!”_ He spun around before he could see Will’s hurt face and walked off.

He supposed that would be the end of his talks with Will. It was probably for the best. Will was better off without him anyways.

He flicked his collar up against the sudden chill.

…

Nico didn’t show up for class. Will watched the empty chair guiltily. What had he said wrong? He had offended him somehow. Maybe he got sick of listening to Will’s constant nagging. Will didn’t blame him. He just got really nervous around Nico, and his defense to that was to blurt out facts until his head spun.

He didn’t even attempt to listen to his prof anymore. He was too busy wallowing.

The next two weeks were the worst of Will’s life.

He failed – _failed_ – his history exam, lost his wallet which held his credit card, student ID, and all of his cash, locked himself out of his room, sent his professor the wrong paper, got a parking ticket for going over his meter by eight minutes, and forgot to turn in his math assignment. Will, who had always prided himself on his organization, was devastated.

“We all get in those slumps from time to time,” Cecil tried to assure him. “It’s only midterms. You can turn it around.”

Will never mentioned his ‘fight’ with Nico, or the fact that he still passed the library with a bubble of hope in his chest which would pop the moment he saw no one leaning against the wall. Will wasn’t sure why Nico di Angelo affected him so much, how it happened so quickly, but he knew he just wanted to hear Nico curse at him again. He wanted to see that smile again.

His bad luck continued during the week but he still attempted to study. He hit the books hard, trying to forget all about Nico and his tattoos, and flushed out the memory of his laugh with Latin terms and historical dates.

By the time midterms rolled around, Will was almost back to his old self. He felt confident as he strode into his art history classroom, ready to ace the exam. It all flew away when he noticed that the seat in front of him was occupied.

After missing for two full weeks, Nico di Angelo had come back. His black jacket was slung over his chair as he sat nonchalantly, glaring at everything that moved or made a noise. He had a new piercing on his eyebrow, and Will’s heart immediately relapsed. He sat down with a large grin. “You’re back!”

Nico cast him a dark look over his shoulder before facing forward, silent.

Will frowned. “Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?”

Nico ignored him.

Will sighed. “You know, I was just trying to be your friend. I don’t know what I did to piss you off so much but… I’m sorry, for what it’s worth.”

Silence.

“Glad we could clear that up,” Will huffed and sank back in his chair. He dug out a pencil, crossed his arms, and waited for the tests to be passed out.

It was predictably easy. Will connected each work to its respective artist and circled every correct date fluidly, not stopping for a moment. He wasn’t the first one to finish, but he was definitely one of the quickest. As he stood to turn in his paper, he noticed a pack of cigarettes sticking out of the pocket of Nico’s jacket. He glared at them, feeling inexplicably jealous, before walking up to the professor’s desk and placing his answer sheet on top of the others.

He collected his things quietly, risking glimpses at Nico every few seconds. His attention drifted back down to the cigarette pack and his irritation swelled.

Barely thinking, Will made sure no one was looking and quickly swiped them from the pocket before stuffing them in his pocket and leaving.

He felt rather pleased with himself. Imagine the look on Nico’s face when he tried to light up one of his beloved cancer-sticks and found himself grasping at nothing but the inside of his coat and air. _That’s right,_ Will thought gleefully. _I stole your stupid cigarettes._

He froze for a moment, the reality sinking in.

_Holy shit, I just stole Nico di Angelo’s cigarettes._

Gulping, he pushed open the door and let the sudden autumn breeze nip at his cheeks. A thrill ran up his spine as his hand made contact with the package in his pocket.

_Come and get them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> 'Non parlo inglese.' - I don't speak English.  
> 'Non fumare!' - No smoking!  
> 'Cazzo me.' - Well, fuck me.


	2. Y

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find our ‘hero’ bravely facing the imminent peril ahead with grace and dignity.

_Sweet Jesus, he’s gonna kill me,_ Will thought desperately. _He will seriously kill me and bury my body in the woods. What was I THINKING?_

Nothing, that was what. He looked down at the half-empty pack of cigarettes in his head, still reeling from the adrenaline rush stealing them had brought. It wasn’t even like he’d gone to the store to steal them. It wasn’t like he even had the intention of using them for himself. He just didn’t want _Nico_ to have them.

Will groaned at the thought of Nico di Angelo with all of his piercings and tattoos and permanent scowls and unfairly captivating eyes. Yeah, he was crushing hard. Maybe more than that. He didn’t know anymore. He just knew that his heart ached each time Nico came to class, and that he felt like he was invincible whenever Nico smiled, and that Nico could make him forget about every single responsibility he’d ever had without even trying. Will just wanted to reach out and pull him into a hug. He wondered if Nico’s hair was as soft as it looked or what his lip ring would feel like.

Will would never be able to find the answers to these questions, however, because Nico was going to _destroy him._

He took out one of the cigarettes curiously. What made these so attractive anyways? Will leaned against the library wall, copying the stance he had seen Nico use countless times, and held the cigarette between his fingers. Okay, he felt cool but definitely not himself. He was just about to drop it back into the pack when someone suddenly cuffed him hard over the head.

“OW!” he cried, hand flying to his stinging ear.

“The _hell_ you think you’re doing?” a familiar voice hissed and Will’s stomach dropped right into his toes. He snapped his attention up and – yep – there was Nico. He was wearing his aviator jacket, hair hanging in front of his eyes again. They were close enough that Will could see the bags under his eyes clearly and Will fought the itch to reach up and trace his thumb across them. There was a furious expression on his face, eyes wide and wild, and Will couldn’t help himself from gulping at the intensity of his stare.

“Wh-what?” he sputtered out dumbly, still holding his head gingerly.

Nico pointed at the cigarette pack in his hand. _“That!_ What’re you doing with that?”

“I—”

“Are you an idiot? You throw a tantrum any time I smoke and I look away for two weeks and you’re already half a pack in?” There was a spark behind his stormy eyes and, for a moment, Will was actually afraid of him. Why was that turning him on so much? Nico scoffed at the perplexed look on Will’s face and snatched the pack away quickly. “ _Idiota!_ You’re lucky I don’t kick your ass for even trying these fucking things!”

Slowly, it became apparent to Will that Nico thought he had started smoking. He blinked as Nico continued to rant at him, spat familiar-sounding facts back into his face, and gestured wildly with his arms. He cracked a smile and, when Nico got even angrier, broke into giggles.

“Are you fucking _laughing at me?”_ he screeched and Will lost it.

“I-I’m sorry!” he choked out. “I’m not laughing at you, I swear! J-just… your face!”

Steam was practically billowing out of Nico’s ears. “My _face_ is funny?”

“N-no, it’s…” Will shook his head and attempted to calm himself. “You just looked so _shocked.”_ Nico sneered and glanced away quickly. Will decided to assure him. “I’m not smoking.”

Nico looked adorably confused. “Then why do have these?” He danced the pack in front of Will’s face. “Where did you get them anyways? This brand is shit, too! If they weren’t so cheap I wouldn’t—” Nico broke off, eyes as wide as saucers. Quickly, he patted his pocket. When he raised his outraged glare to meet Will’s nervous gaze, it was like he was staring straight into Will’s soul.

“Aha,” Will backed up with his hands splayed in front of him. His back hit the wall. “I-I can explain!”

“You took _mine?”_ Nico’s eye twitched. “When?”

“A-as I was leaving art history!” Will squeaked. “Th-they were just sitting there and I just…”

“You pickpocketed me. _You?”_

“Y-yes!”

Nico squeezed the cigarettes in his hand. “No one has _ever_ been dumb enough to pull a stunt like that.”

“I-I know! I’m really sorry!” Will wasn’t above begging for his life, but Nico’s expression turned neutral, almost passive. He weighed the pack in his hand momentarily before striding over to the trashcan and tossing it in.

“What’re you doing?” Will blinked.

Nico shrugged and slunk back over. “I quit.”

Will perked up. “What? When?”

“When some plucky little shit thought it was a good idea to steal them in order to get my attention!” Nico huffed, poking Will’s chest accusingly. The glare was probably meant to be threatening, but it just made Will chuckle.

“It worked, didn’t it?” he asked softly and his heart fluttered when Nico dropped his gaze quickly. Whether his cheeks were flushed due to anger or something else, Will didn’t know.

“You’re an annoying brat,” Nico muttered. He plopped down on the ground and leaned back against the wall. “But I think it’s safe to say I underestimated you.”

Will was having trouble processing what just happened so he just sat down as well. He didn’t even care that it was dirty or freezing or crawling with ants. He was just happy he survived.

“For a genius, you really are dumb,” Nico murmured, looking up at the sky.

Will jumped. Nico thought he was a genius? He smiled. “Nah, I’m just really motivated I guess. When there’s something I want I just, yanno, take it!”

Nico glanced at him, eyebrows raised. “Is that so?” He snorted. “You’re practically diabolical.”

Will nodded quickly, feeling far too pleased with himself. They were _talking._ “You bet! I mean, when we were kids, my brother and I got in a fight over who got to eat the last piece of chocolate cake. My mom gave it to my brother because I’d already had some. You know what I did?”

Nico shrugged.

“I took his plate and smashed it on the ground.” Will lowered his voice dramatically and added, “If I can’t have cake then no one can!”

Nico stared him, eyes wide and cheeks a bit pink. Then he broke into laughter. Will was mesmerized. His laugh was even more beautiful than his smile. Nico’s laughs tapered off into coughs and Will mentally awarded himself a cookie. “You’re such a _dork!”_ Nico coughed out.

Will stuck his tongue out. “And you’re no fun at all.”

Nico hummed. “I think you and I just have different definitions of ‘fun’.”

That was probably true, but Will didn’t mind finding out exactly what kind of fun Nico liked. They sat, talking, until the streetlamps came on.

…

Quitting was harder than he thought. He hadn’t counted on Will making it a sharp point to check up on him. One such time was unfortunately at the dining hall – when he was sitting with Jason and Percy.

“How are you feeling?” Will had asked. The pure concern laced in his voice made Jason and Percy turn their attention onto Nico, eyebrows raised.

When Nico only scoffed, muttered a quick, “Fine,” and dropped his gaze, Percy and Jason looked as though they’d received early Christmas presents.

“What was that, Nico?” Percy taunted, placing a hand up to his ear. “Speak up!”

“Was that an actual clean answer?” Jason gasped, holding his chest. “Oh, man!”

Nico gave them a sharp glare that said, “I’ll kill you both later.”

Will just blinked in that adorably confused manner. What was with that awful red sweater he was wearing, anyways? He had on a grey collared shirt on underneath with a deep green tie. Had he really just dressed up for class? Perhaps Will wasn’t as straight as an arrow after all. Nico squashed away any hopes that surged at the thought. _Too good for you,_ his mind amended. _Don’t go there._

Yet, Will just glanced between Jason and Percy like they’d spoken some foreign language. “Wait a minute! You mean he hasn’t told you?”

That got Nico’s friends to shut up. “Tell us what?”

A sweet smile spread across Will’s thin lips. “Nico’s promised me to quit smoking!”

“Did he now?” Jason raised an eyebrow. “How did you ever manage that? I’ve been trying to get him to cut back for, sheesh, a year now?”

“I-I didn’t _promise you!”_ Nico spluttered, ignoring the looks of pure delight on his friends’ faces. “Sh-shut up, Solace!”

“Aw, don’t be shy!” Jason chuckled, wrapping an arm around Nico’s neck and pulling him in close. “I’ll totally help you!”

“Support system!” Percy agreed with a thumbs’ up.

“I hate you all,” Nico hissed out of his teeth. He noticed how Will’s smile had disappeared the moment Jason leaned into him. He quickly shoved his roommate off of him.

“Right,” Will said with much less enthusiasm before. Nico found himself wanting to assure him, to put his worries at rest. There was _nothing_ going on between Jason and him. Jason and his _girlfriend,_ however, had plenty going on. Yet, even as Will took a step back, he just clenched his jaw and kept quiet. A bit of that toothy grin came back. “Anyways, I’ll see you in class, Nico.”

Nico gave a curt shrug. Internally, his stomach was looping through hoops. In all his life, Nico di Angelo hadn’t been so eager for class to start.

“Dude,” Percy waved his hand in front of Nico’s face, “are you still with us?”

Nico jerked back to himself. “What?”

Percy smirked at Jason. “Oh, he’s got it bad.”

Jason made a whipping motion in the air. _“W-ktch!”_

Nico remembered the look on Will’s face when Jason had wrapped his arm around him and punched his roommates shoulder. Hard. He sniffed in satisfaction when Jason nearly toppled over in his seat. _“Ah!”_ he cried. “The _hell?”_

When he got to art history, Nico surprised Will by sitting beside him. Will gave him an overjoyed smile, stars practically shining in his eyes. Nico hummed. “Don’t get any wrong ideas,” he muttered. “I can look at your answers this way.”

“Right, right!” Will nodded and Nico wondered – not for the first time – why he was even bothering with the blonde nerd at all. He really wasn’t Nico’s usual type. Or maybe he was exactly his type. Fuck, did he even have a type anymore?

He let his fingers drum against the desk absently, favoring to think about the blonde sitting beside him than the lecture he was supposed to listening to. Will, predictably, was giving his all into his note-taking. Every once in a while he would stop, uncap his highlighter, and run it along something he saw as important.

Was it because Will was kind? That he treated Nico like a person and not something to be avoided? Was it because Will didn’t shy away from him? Or was it because, in a sense, Will was a lot like him? He wasn’t afraid of being himself, didn’t care what others thought of him. He was just… Will.

Nico wondered what Will thought of him. That big brain of his was an enigma that Nico just would never understand. One minute Will was listing off a hundred different diseases from the top of his head and the next he was stealing Nico’s cigarettes right out of his coat. Will was unpredictable, and that frustrated him.

His knee bounced rapidly. He _really_ wanted a cigarette.

…

Will was mouthing along to the song blaring through his headphones. He was in the library, as per his routine, and was furiously typing at his history paper. He would _not_ fail this time! His cellphone sat on the desk beside his laptop with an alarm set for five o’clock, when he knew Nico would be waiting for him outside.

Breaking into a grin, Will continued to lip-sync to the lyrics with gusto. _“A whole new world! A new fantastic point of view!”_ He could only imagine what Nico would have to say about him mouthing along to Disney songs, but he didn’t care. He was still too giddy about what happened earlier in class.

He had been expecting to be ignored, as per Nico’s routine, but instead the Italian just plopped in the seat beside him as if it was the most casual thing in the world. Nico had said it was only so he could cheat, but he had spent much more time looking at _Will_ than his notes.

 _“Unbelievable sights! Indescribable feelings!”_ Will whispered under his breath, completely abandoning his paper to spin his chair around dramatically.

“Hey, Princess Jasmine, you know this is a quiet-study floor, right?”

Will jumped in his seat, immediately ripping his earbuds out of his ears and straightening up. “C-Cecil! Uh, how long have you been behind me?”

Cecil snorted. “Long enough. Look, I’m not even gonna ask. I just wanted to know if you wanted to take a coffee break. Lou Ellen just got out of her class so she’s on her way.”

Just then, Will’s alarm went off on his phone. He grabbed it quickly. “Sorry,” he told Cecil. “I’ve got plans.”

“Going to meet your street rat?” Cecil grinned.

Will winked. “And no magic lamp required!”

As predicted, Nico was there. Will’s heart was already beating fast. He wasn’t entirely sure what drew him to the raven-haired boy. Was it his overall image? The way he said one thing but meant another? How he wasn’t afraid of standing up for himself, of making his own path? _Everything_ about Nico di Angelo drove him crazy.

“Di Angelo,” he greeted as if he’d just run into him in an office. “Fancy running into you here.”

Nico’s lips twitched. “What are the chances?” Will opened his mouth but Nico interrupted him. “Oh, God, please don’t spurt out some actual numbers.”

Will chuckled. “Darn. And I spent all day calculating the answer, too.”

“Cheeky moron.”

He laughed before spotting how Nico’s fingers were fidgeting with the hole in his jeans. “Oh, here,” he said, pulled out a pack of gum, and offered him a piece. Nico raised an eyebrow. “Ah,” Will cleared his throat, “well, I noticed you were a little jittery in class. Nicotine withdrawal can cause anxiety, irritability, insomnia, nausea, and headaches. Chewing gum can help curb cravings. It’ll take the edge off.”

Nico blinked at him. “How is _gum_ going to help?”

“Quitting is a process. You can buy gum with low levels of nicotine until your body’s dependency on it wears off. That’s what this is.” Will shook the pack. “My mom owns a pharmacy so getting them was easy once I explained.”

An expression Will had never seen before appeared on Nico’s face. It was passive, soft, and almost… warm. A couple beats of silence waved between them before Nico took the proffered piece and popped it in his mouth. Will most certainly didn’t watch his lips as he chewed.

“Why…?” Nico’s question died in his throat.

Will flushed and looked away. “It’s… an occupational hazard. That’s all. Nothing big.”

Nico didn’t say anything else, but Will could hear his gratitude through the silence, through the way their shoulders brushed together ever-so-slightly.

…

The end of the semester was quickly approaching. Nico was lying on his bed, surfing through old text messages. Over the last few weeks, Will had given him his cell number with instructions to text him whenever he was bored or if he ever wanted to study. Nico pretended to be uninterested, rolled his eyes at Will’s hopeful smile, and muttered that he would never be bored enough that he needed to expose himself to more of Will’s dorkiness.

So, of course, it really shouldn’t have been a surprise that Will texted him that night and they had been talking ever since.

It was December and finals week was coming. As such, Will had nearly disappeared behind his mountains of books and overlarge hoodies. Earlier in art history class, Will had startled him. His eyes had been bloodshot with dark bags underneath them. His hair had been askew and dull. He had been wearing sweatpants and a large sweatshirt, clutching onto a steaming cup of coffee and two thick textbooks. “Damn, what hit you?”

“Finals,” Will had muttered before settling into his seat. “Exhausted. Can’t talk. More caffeine.”

“And you say I have an addiction.” Nico had rolled his eyes.

After that, Will had retreated to his nerd cave while Nico sulked in his room. He hadn’t gotten a single text since. He felt jittery again, unable to sit still. He hated how much he had gotten used to Will being in his life.

And he hated how badly he _really_ wanted a piece of gum.

Sighing, he sat up and got to work on putting on his heavy boots once again.

“Where are you going?” Jason muttered, not bothering to look up from his laptop.

“Gum.”

“Again?” Jason shook his head. “That’s, like, the third time today.”

Nico shrugged. “It’s not any worse than your Red Bull. How many did you drink today?”

“People are gonna start whispering if you keep rushing off to the library, you know.”

Nico snorted, shrugging on his bomber jacket. “Watch me quiver in fear,” he said sarcastically and marched out of the room, letting the door slam behind him. A strange sense of déjà vu overwhelmed him but he ignored it.

He planned to wait until Will wandered out of the library to ambush him, but when five o’clock came and went and the streetlamps came on, Will still hadn’t showed. Nico checked the time periodically, huffing when it started to get dark. He was not _worried_. He was, if anything, annoyed. Didn’t that nerd understand that Nico’s time was invaluable?

Refusing to be ignored, Nico strode into the library. He pushed open the doors and immediately felt out of his element. He awkwardly passed through the rows of desks and aisles of books. Holy crap. Did Will actually _like_ staying in here? Why exactly did Nico like him again?

Will’s blonde hair gave away his position like a beacon. Nico steered in his direction, anxious to get out of this place as possible. “Hey, bookworm, who do you think—?” He broke off suddenly when he realized that Will was slumped over his books, fast asleep. A strange emotion filled him at the sight of Will’s soft, peaceful face. It was like warmth was spreading through his body and he wanted to drape his coat over his shoulders.

He shook his head quickly, ridding those disturbing thoughts away. Instead, he stomped over and shook Will quickly. “Wake up, dumbass!”

Will jerked awake at once. “Arctangent! James Gregory!”

Nico yanked his hand back. “What?”

“Huh?” Will turned and rubbed his eyes. “Nico? What’re…?” He yawned. “What are you doing here?”

Nico scowled. “It’s six-thirty, idiot. You’ve been in here for _four hours.”_

“Oh.” Will yawned again. “I was just… I have to study. Calculus final. You know.”

“No, I don’t.” Nico clicked his tongue. “You’re going to implode if you don’t take a break. When was the last time you actually slept?”

“I’ll sleep when finals are over.”

“If you keep this up you’ll pass out during your exams and fail. Is that what you want?”

Will pouted. “No…”

“Right. Then, you need to take it easy for the rest of the night.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” Will asked irritably and, at that moment, his stomach growled.

Nico suppressed a smirk. “Well, the dining hall is still open.”

Will pinched himself and winced.

“What the hell was that for?” Nico blurted out.

“I thought I was still dreaming,” he muttered. “But I guess not.”

“Of course you’re not dreaming!” Really, was that the sort of thing Will actually would dream about? Going to dinner with… oh. _Oh._ “I… uh…” Nico cleared his throat. “I mean, only because you look so pitiable. If I let you waste away do you have any idea how much paperwork I would have to fill out? And finding a decent lawyer that won’t screw me over? Forget about it.”

Will chortled and quickly covered his mouth. Nico glared at him. “Sorry!” he laughed. “J-just the way you said it! For- _get about it!_ It’s like a mobster movie!”

“Just when I thought you couldn’t be any dorkier.”

“All right, all right! Sorry!” Will stood up, gathering his things quickly. “Let’s hurry and go before they close the kitchen, okay? I _really_ don’t want to eat cold, gross pizza.”

“Pizza is fucking delicious no matter what its temperature,” Nico retorted, crossing his arms.

Will snorted. “You’re Italian. You _have_ to say that. Though, actually, did you know that there’s been some debate over whether or not pizza is actually an original Italian dish?”

“You shut your mouth,” Nico threatened. “And put your coat on. It’s cold as shit out.”

“Yes, _babbo.”_

“One more crack, Solace, I swear to God—”

“And what? I’ll be ‘sleeping with the fishes’?” he taunted in a mock Italian accent which made Nico groan.

“For fuck’s sake! Enough with the crappy mafia lines already! My head hurts.”

Will laughed but just slung his book bag over his shoulder, lifted a large stack of books and held them like a child, and nodded. “All right. Lead the way, Don di Angelo.”

Nico resisted the urge to hit his forehead off of the wall.

…

At first, Will thought it had to all be a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d dreamt of the Italian. But there he was having _dinner with Nico di Angelo._ Sure, it was just a crappy pre-paid meal in the university’s dining hall but it was enough. Listening to Nico rant about the half-assed preparations and the only-slightly-edible entrees was enough. Sitting across from him and watching him twirl his pasta around his fork was more than enough.

Nico was complaining about something – probably Will, but he wasn’t really focusing on the words, just the lips that formed them – when he broke off suddenly, eyes drifting over Will’s shoulder. “Erm… Is that your girlfriend over there or something?”

Will snapped out of his musings to glance behind him and immediately paled. “Oh, _shit.”_

Lou Ellen had spotted him and was walking towards him, waving enthusiastically. Will tried to signal for her to leave, that he was sort of in the middle of something, but she paid him no attention. “Will, there you are!” she greeted loudly. “We thought you’d died! And here you’ve just ditched us,” Lou Ellen chuckled, holding her chest. “How could you?”

“Uh, hey, Lou,” Will mumbled, blushing violently. “I was just, uh, preoccupied.”

Lou Ellen’s attention shifted to Nico and her eyebrows shot up. “ _Preoccupied._ Got it.”

“N-no, you’ve got the wrong idea!” Will gasped, waving his hands around desperately. He probably looked like a fool, but he was too flustered to notice. “W-we’re just eating!”

“Sorry,” Nico muttered. He was watching Lou Ellen like she was dangerous, a threat that needed to be removed. “Did I interrupt some date or something?”

“What?” Lou Ellen and Will asked the same time, though Lou Ellen was more amused while Will was panicked.

She started to laugh. “Will’s _never_ been one for girlfriends, if you catch my drift.”

Will choked on his own spit and slapped a hand over her mouth. He tried to gauge Nico’s expression and was shocked to find that the dark look was gone, replaced by something akin to pleased. “Jeez! Don’t you have anyone else to mortify today?”

Lou Ellen pulled away. “Oh, that’s right. I’m supposed to be meeting Cecil here anyways. Have a good night, you guys.” She winked at Will and strode off.

Will immediately let his forehead slump against the table. “Oh my God. I am so sorry about her.”

“Women,” Nico muttered. “You can’t live with them.”

“…Or without them?” Will finished with a wry smile.

Nico shrugged. “I find it pretty easy to live without them.”

“What do you mean by… _OH!”_ Will’s eyes grew. A smirk pushed at Nico’s lips. “You mean… _really?”_

“Why do you look so surprised?”

“Nah, I mean… I thought about it when I saw you with that blonde guy a while back but…”

“Jason?”

Will’s stomach clenched. _Jason?_ So he was familiar enough with _Jason_ to use his first name but Will was still stuck being referred to strictly as _Solace?_ “I guess.”

Nico chuckled. The sound was deep and throaty. “Jason is my roommate,” he explained as he set down his fork. “He’s also dating a sorority girl.”

All the tension ran out of him. “Oh,” he exhaled, sounding too relieved. “I thought…”

“Yes, I know. I thought the same about the brunette back there.”

Will shook his head with a smile. “Nah, pretty sure she’s half in love with Cecil already. We’re just really good friends.”

“Good,” Nico affirmed.

Will broke into a smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

If Will was dreaming, he didn’t want to wake up.

…

The night was bitterly cold. Will’s teeth chattered as he walked across campus, wishing he had brought along a scarf and some gloves. His hat, too. He hated winter. The snow had never done him any favors. It didn’t help that Nico seemed completely unaffected by it. In fact, he almost looked like he was enjoying it. It made Will look like a complete wuss but whatever.

“By the way,” Nico said suddenly, “I’m out of that shitty gum.”

Will grinned, which was sort of hard when he was still shivering so hard. “Y-yeah? I told’ja it would help-p!”

Nico rolled his eyes. “I’m not admitting anything. Just tell me where to get some more.”

Will chuckled. “I don’t want you becoming addicted to those, too! You’re gonna have to find something else to curb your cravings on.”

He was all too aware of Nico’s eyes lingering on his body. “Is that right?”

Will felt a chill roll through him that had nothing to do with the cold. “Y-yeah. That’s what I said.”

“And what are you chewing?”

Will blew a small bubble with his spearmint gum that he’d popped in after dinner. “It’s normal gum. And I don’t have any more so don’t even ask!”

Nico raised an eyebrow. “Fine.” He slowed to a stop as they were passing the library.

Will turned to glance at him. “What? I’m freezing my ass off, man!”

“Will.”

Will froze – both physically and metaphorically – at the sound of his first name. Nico had never called him ‘Will’ before. It did horribly strange things to his heart. “Wh-what?”

Nico just strode up to him, a dark glint in his eyes, and, before Will could even comprehend their level of closeness, kissed him. Will turned into a statue, unblinking, unbreathing, as Nico’s lips moved against his. A deep warmth blossomed through his body, nothing quite like he had ever felt before. It rushed through his chest and shot straight through to his fingers and his toes. Then, a moment of clarity hit him and he realized that he should _do something._ So he cupped Nico’s cheeks, let his thumbs brush his cheekbones like he’d always wanted, and kissed back.

Nico let out a growl and was suddenly pushing Will back until he collided harshly into the library wall, which – _ow._ But he found it hard to care as long as those lips kept doing what they were doing. Nico rested his forearm against the wall so that Will’s head wouldn’t keep hitting the brick and Will hummed his gratitude. Nico visibly shuddered at the sound and suddenly his tongue was prodding at his lips and Will let him in because, _God,_ it had to have been the best kiss of his life. He feebly attempted to match Nico’s fluid, practiced movements but the hand that was sliding down his back was very distracting. Will’s fingers grasped into Nico’s jacket just before Nico broke away entirely, grinning triumphantly.

Will’s head was spinning from the lack of oxygen but, eventually, he found his voice again. “W-wow…”

Nico chuckled and pushed a quick little peck back to Will’s lips before backing off completely. “You really never stop surprising me, Solace,” Nico whispered and his breath smelt like peppermint. It took a moment for Will to realize that he was chewing gum.

“Y-you!” Will gasped, eyes fixated on the bubble Nico blew. “Th-that’s my…!”

“Sorry, Sunshine,” Nico teased. “But you’re not the only one that takes something when they want it.”

As Will’s brain tried to process those unfair words, Nico patted his cheek fondly and started to stroll away again, like he hadn’t just pinned Will up against the library wall. “W-wait!” Will leapt into action. “Nico!”

Nico’s laughter rang loud and clear. He sent Will a swift wink. “Don’t worry. I’ll see you around, Solace.”

…

It really shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone, really, when Will Solace, in his polo and khakis, and Nico di Angelo, with his piercings and tattoos, walked into the art history final with their fingers interlocked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be one more part! Thank you so much for all the support! It really means a ton. :3


	3. Z

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are just little drabbles that I needed to get out of my head in order to close this AU.

At first their friends didn't know what to make of their relationship. When Will had formally introduced Nico to Lou Ellen and Cecil, the pair had stared at the punk like he had just burst into a church blaring ACDC. Nico tried not to let that affect him – people were always uncomfortable around him – but, after Will cheerfully whisked them into a conversation, they seemed to decide that Nico wasn't going to bite and relaxed.

Jason and Percy found it all very humorous.

"The kid from your art history class?"

"Mr. Khakis and Polos?"

"It's like _Beauty and the Best!"_

_"Cinderella!"_

_"Oh, William, William, let down your golden hair!"_ Percy recited dramatically, a hand on his chest and the other waving wildly.

"That's _Rapunzel,_ bro," Jason snorted.

After Will stuck around for more than a few dates, and their third-month anniversary approached, Jason and Percy's jokes died down dramatically. They were probably impressed that Nico was still sticking around. Long relationships weren't really his thing. Then again, he never had someone like Will.

It was Jason's girlfriend, Piper, that suggested a double date. Nico was reluctant. He hated those sorts of things, but somehow Will had overheard and he agreed immediately. They settled on a movie night as Will had been planning to subject Nico to the _Harry Potter_ movies already. When he'd heard that Nico never watched them, Will had let out such a loud gasp that it left Nico's ears ringing.

Their double date ended up being in Jason and Nico's room. They ordered some pizza and rounded up some junk food before holing themselves up in the dorm room. Will was practically bouncing as he set up the movie. "Oh, man, I can't believe you've never seen this," he was singing. He jumped onto Nico's bed and scrambled to sit behind him, arms wrapping around his sides as he reached for the remote. "Your mind is about to be _blown._ You kind of remind me of Draco Malfoy. You'd _so_ be in Slytherin."

Nico just took a bite of pizza. "And you'd be one of those stoner wizards."

"…Stoner wizards."

"Yeah. Snuff and huff or whatever."

Will guffawed. _"Hufflepuff?_ No way!" He snorted. "I'm not a badger! Though, they're totally bad ass." he retorted, as if that made any sense. _"Honey Badger don't care!"_

Piper was laughing and Jason glanced over at Nico with raised eyebrows. Nico shrugged back at him. As long as there was food he would be able to tolerate whatever movie was on. Besides, Will was pretty comfortable to lean on. No bookworm he'd ever met had muscles like that.

Piper munched on some popcorn. "Hufflepuff isn't that bad! I think Gryffindor is overrated, anyways."

Will glanced at her as if she was a long-lost sister. "Me too! God, everyone wants to be sorted into Gryffindor!"

Piper lit up. "Right? I mean, the other houses are just as fine."

"I always wanted to be in Ravenclaw!"

Halfway through the movie, Will and Piper had relocated to floor, busy discussing things from the books that went far over Nico's head. Jason and Nico had been forgotten, and both of them were pretty sulky about it.

Will started to recite some sort of chant that apparently a _hat_ sang – Nico had to try very hard not to judge him – and Piper nodded along, impressed. Jason glanced at Nico with a dull face. "Dude, your boyfriend turned my girlfriend into a dork."

"He has that effect." Nico leaned back and tried to focus on the confusing movie but his attention drifts to the bag of Cheetos at his feet.

Suddenly, Will and Piper let out simultaneous shouts of glee that made Nico jump and spill Cheetos all over himself. Eye twitching, he glared at the pair, who broke out into song. _"Gotta get back to Hogwarts!"_

Jason looked imploringly at Nico. "Look what he's done. He's like the gateway drug of nerdiness."

"Keep talking bad about my boyfriend, Grace, see what happens," Nico ground out just to be difficult. Even if Will was being annoying, only _Nico_ could insult him.

Will shot him an appreciative smile and snatched a Cheeto off of Nico's leg. "Too bad we didn't buy any Red Vines."

Piper snorted on a laugh. Nico, not understanding a single thing, groaned, wondering how his life had come to sitting in his room covered in powdered cheese and listening to his boyfriend spurt out references he didn't understand.

Still, when Will kissed him goodnight a few hours later, he could only find himself wondering when they could do this all over again.

…

"What is this?"

Nico glanced up from his phone to find a particular blonde holding up a lighter and frowning at him. Nico raised an eyebrow. "A lighter?"

" _Whose_ lighter?" Will Solace huffed.

Nico swiped it off of him. "It's _my_ lighter."

"And what exactly are you doing with a lighter?"

He couldn't help but sigh in exasperation at Will's authoritative tone. "I'm not smoking again, Solace. You can stop with the concerned mother act."

Will gritted his teeth. "It's not just an act, Nico! Why do you still have that thing?" Nico shrugged absently, but Will didn't let it drop. He just sat down on Nico's bed and crossed his arms. "Well?"

Nico sighed again. He tossed the lighter back at Will. "Flick it."

"What?"

"Flick it. Go on. Try."

Raising a suspicious eyebrow, Will obeyed, blinking when the thing failed to spark. "It's dead?"

"It's always been that way," Nico said, plucking the object back out of Will's hand.

"Then why do you keep it?"

Nico stared at the ground. "My father always smoked," he said, all too aware of Will's stare. "I used to hate it but… when my mother and sister passed away… I stole a cigarette from him just out of spite. It got easier, you know, to deal with… what happened."

"A distraction," Will supplied and Nico nodded.

"I suppose. It was right after my sister's funeral when I bought this thing. It was defective, broken." _Like me._ "I couldn't bear to throw it away."

Will watched him for a long time before pulling Nico into a tight hug. "I understand," he whispered. "I lost two of my brothers. Lee and Michael. They were… everything, you know? After we lost them… I just buried myself with my work. And I guess that's one of the reasons I push myself so hard. They never got to experience college so…"

"I get it." And Nico really did. He paused. "Hey… Will?"

"Yeah?"

Nico rested his head on Will's shoulder. "I…" He sighed. "Don't you dare tell anyone."

Will chuckled and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close. "Our secret," he promised.

…

Will stared at the can of spray-paint in his hands. "I… I don't know about this."

Nico snorted. "C'mon, it's not like we're gonna paint dicks all over the place. We're doing the whole campus a justice."

"Justice," Will repeated, weighing the can in his hand.

His boyfriend always had a very strong opinion on justice. Will wondered if he was a prosecutor in another life. He could almost see Nico – with all his piercings and tats – standing in court with his definitive sneer, point furiously, and shout, "OBJECTION!" in response to a faulty testimony. Not that he would ever admit that to Nico, of course. He got called a nerd _quite_ enough on a daily basis.

Nico was grinning that creepy grin at him again. Will had learned pretty quickly that it usually meant he was about to get a really bad headache. "Have I told you you look really good in black?"

Despite himself, Will felt himself flush. "That's not gonna work," he bluffed.

Nico just shrugged and tugged him along. "C'mon. Campus police make their rounds every fifteen minutes. Hurry up."

Will sighed, head lolling back as Nico pulled him across to the front of the football stadium, where a new billboard of the university's quarterback had recently been built. Beside it, was a banner for Frosted Flakes, which was apparently their sponsor, and it's slogan, _"They're Grrreat!_ " The larger one showed the quarterback in his uniform, arms crossed confidently as he cradled his helmet in one arm. Red and gold letters were emblazoned along the top. _"NO. 45 ROCKS!"_ And, at the bottom, it red, _"A WINNER!"_

"The Rock" was his nickname, but Will didn't really understand football well enough to know why. He just knew that all the girls went nuts over his looks and his knack for dancing provocatively whenever his team scored a touchdown. Will looked up at the pale blonde hair and smug brown eyes. It really didn't do anything for him. He much preferred the man that was currently shaking the can of paint with a maniacal smile on his face.

Their quarterback was also a well-known Jerk – with a capital J. He hosted wild, annoying parties, which the majority of his father's loaned money had funded, despite being a loudly-voiced by-the-book Catholic. Most recently, he'd publically shamed a girl and her girlfriend for holding hands. Once Nico heard of that, it was all game over for the football player.

He started to expertly spray red paint at the top of Jerk's head. Will watched, nervously glancing over his shoulder for any witnesses and hoping his outfit would help him blend into the night. When Nico had told him to dress darkly, he'd taken it to heart. Will was donned in a black turtleneck and jeans with a black beanie covering his bright mop of hair. He kept watch, flinching at every leaf that skittered across the pavement and nearly dropping to the ground when an owl hooted above them.

"Will you stop making such a fuss?" Nico hissed as he finished up. "You'll draw attention."

"Sorry," Will stage-whispered and looked up at the billboard. He had to cover his mouth with his gloved hands to muffle his laughter. "Oh my _GOD!_ It's perfect!"

Nico stepped back, looking a bit smug himself, and nodded at his work. "That looks much better."

"The Rock's" face now resembled a pig's with a large nose and floppy ears. He even had a matching tail. The words now read, _"NO. 45 SUCKS A WEINER!"_

"I can't wait for everyone to see this!" Will blinked. "Holy crap, he's _ruined."_

"Serves him right," Nico huffed, flipping the can in his hand. "Anyone that thinks so highly of themselves that they think they can demean others is a narcissistic pig."

"Wait, I've got an idea!" Will snatched the can of spray paint from Nico's surprised hands and started to shake it. "Cover me! I'm going in!"

Nico rolled his eyes again. "All clear, Killer."

Will never spray-painted anything before – never vandalized before either – but he was pretty proud of his addition. He stepped back, smiling. "Well?"

Will made a little speech bubble reaching from the quarterback's mouth to the cereal slogan above. _"They're Grrreat!"_

Nico stared at Will in amazement. "You have no idea how attractive that just made you, do you?"

Will burst into laughter but was quick to cover his mouth, glancing from side to side fearfully. "Let's just get out of here?"

"Yeah," Nico kissed him swiftly, "before you start robbing convenient stores or get an eyebrow piercing."

Will blew out a humored puff of air. "In your dreams, di Angelo."

Nico gave a one-shouldered shrug and opened his mouth to say something, but just then a pair of headlights shined down the road. Will's stomach churned when he saw the familiar police crest on the slowly cruising car.

"ABORT! RUN!" Will let out a high scream, pushed aside Nico roughly, and began sprinting down the path as fast as his legs could carry him. _"Every man for himself!"_

Nico chased after him, laughing the entire way home.

…

Nico glared at his reflection. He barely recognized himself without his multiple piercings and his hair styled neatly. Even more startling was his clothing. He was dressed in tan trousers and a too-tight button up, collared shirt underneath a scratchy, stiff sweater. It took him two Youtube videos and twenty extra minutes to tie the accursed tie tucked in between the two shirts, and he was currently daydreaming tearing it off and flinging it out the window.

Meeting Will's parents shouldn't be stressing him out as much as it was. According to Will, they were rather proper people that, though even though they had immediately accepted Will when he came out, were notoriously overprotective and might react badly when they learnt of Nico's many tattoos and piercings.

"It might just be a bit of a shock to them," Will had said, "but they'll grow to love you. How can they not?"

Nico couldn't mess this dinner up. He'd never gotten so far in a relationship that his partner wanted to bring him home with him over a weekend. He was determined to make a good impression, for Will's sake. Even if that meant pushing aside his pride long enough to beg Piper to buy him some dressy clothing.

There was a knock at his door. "Nico? You ready? They're almost home."

Nico felt a swarm of nerves hit him. It had been intimidating enough driving up to Will's house. It was huge. He supposed that was to be expected since both of his parents held high-position medical jobs, but Nico was pretty certain he would get lost before the weekend was over. "Yeah."

"Can I come in?"

"Don't laugh."

He could hear Will's snort through the door. "Why would I laugh?" Will walked in, still smiling, but froze as soon as he saw Nico standing in front of the guestroom mirror cautiously. Will's eyes bugged out of his head and he blinked several times, made a show of rubbing his eyes, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "NICO?"

Nico gritted his teeth. "I look dumb, don't I?"

"W-well, I – wow. I wasn't expecting this."

"You said to dress up for dinner."

"Yeah, but _wow._ You look… _wow!"_

Nico felt a rush of anger. Did Will prefer this look to his normal black, ripped jeans and t-shirts? If he even attempted to get him to wear a tie on a regular basis Nico would kick his ass.

Will walked forward and placed a hand on his cheek, thumb grazing the corner of Nico's mouth. "You took out all your piercings and everything. Are you really that nervous about meeting my folks?"

Nico's cheek grew hot under his hand. "They're your parents. Usually, I would care less but—"

"But you _love me!"_ Will taunted cheekily, shimmying his shoulders from side to side.

Nico smacked him. "I don't want to piss them off! I've got enough to deal with. I don't need your parents on my ass, too."

"Right, right. It's all for your benefit, naturally." Will was smiling, an understanding charm in his eyes, and Nico was surprised at how much he was willing to do, how much he was willing to change, to make that smile grow. Will spotted the long line of piercings on the top of the dresser and quickly walked over to it. "Here," he said as he handed Nico his lip ring.

Nico frowned. "You want me to wear _this?"_

"Yeah." Will wrapped his arms around Nico's waist. "I want them to meet _you,_ dummy, not some dressed-up Ken-doll. Like I said before, they'll love you if I do."

Nico eyed him carefully. "And… do you?"

Will winked at him. "You betcha." Then his tone turned gentle. "I love you, Nico."

Nico had never had another guy tell him that before. It made something in his chest burst, like a dam collapsing, and he almost wanted to jump and fist-pump the air. However, he'd already ruined his image enough for one day. He didn't need Will to start any embarrassing rumors.

Will expression turned sheepish. "Uh… do you, er… do you…?"

Nico's shoulders relaxed. He leaned their foreheads together. "Yeah."

"Oh, good." Will exhaled heavily. "That's… that's really good."

Nico's lips twitched. His boyfriend was awkward and dorky and spent way too much time picking out his outfits but, to Nico, he was perfect just the way he was. It was a massive relief to learn that Will thought the same of him; that he liked him for him, even through his faults. "Can I take this tie off?" he muttered and Will chuckled, kissing his nose.

"Sure thing."

Nico immediately started trying to tear the thing off of him but ended up nearly choking himself. Will chuckled and came to his rescue. "No need to murder it," he muttered and slid off the undone tie. "There. Much better."

The sound of a garage door opening alerted them to Mr. and Mrs. Solace's arrival. Will lit up. "They're here!" he cried. "Okay, just... try not to curse too much. Smile. Don't hit my dad if he starts making awful puns."

"Is that where you get that from?" Nico muttered under his breath.

"I heard that!" Will pointed accusingly at him. "Now, put that ring in your lip and get your inky butt downstairs!"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Yes, dear."

…

"Oh my God. I can't believe we're doing this."

"Mmhm. Stop fidgeting around so much. It'll hurt worse if you do that, you know."

"I can't help it! It's my first time, yanno!"

Nico di Angelo sniggered and turned the page of his magazine. "Getting a tattoo isn't that scary."

Beside him, Will pouted. "Aren't boyfriends supposed to be _comforting?"_

Without looking, Nico raised his hand and patted his boyfriend's leg stiffly. "There, there."

Will huffed in frustration and sank into the leather sofa with his arms crossed. "I don't know why I expected anything different. HIV and hepatitis can be spread through unsterile needles, you know!"

"They're perfectly sanitary," Nico muttered.

"And do you know how much of a pain in the ass it was to make sure I wasn't allergic to the ink?" Will continued. "A severe allergic reaction could lead to—are you even listening to me?"

Nico lowered his magazine with a sigh, letting his head tip back. "It's all right to be nervous," he told Will. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Will mulled that over. "I want to."

"Are you sure?" Nico asked for what must have been the twentieth time that morning. "Because once it's on there it's _on there._ Forever."

Will gulped but nodded. "Yeah. I get it."

"And matching tattoos at that? You know those things never look good when a couple splits, right?"

Will huffed and scooted closer to Nico in order to wrap an arm around him and pull him in close. "Sorry to break it to you, but you're stuck with me. _I'll never let go!"_

"God. It's too early for this much sap."

Will stuck his tongue out just as a man wearing thick black leather and heavy metal chains around his hip walked out of the back room. "You guys ready?"

"About time," Nico muttered and stood up. He turned back to Will, who was staring at the door fearfully. Nico sighed. "Hey," he said softly and Will flinched before meeting his gaze. "It… it doesn't hurt that bad. It's more annoying than anything. And… and I'll be there the whole time. Okay?"

Will blew out an exhale. "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Let's do this."

The man led them into the back room. Another woman was getting a tattoo on her shoulder. It looked like a grotesque zombie coming out of a bloody grave. Will quickly huddled close to his boyfriend, hand clinging to the back of his shirt like a nervous child, and Nico rolled his eyes at him.

"Okay, so where do you want these bad boys?" the man asked.

Nico pointed to his chest. "There."

"Over the heart?"

"Right."

The man nodded. "No prob. Take off your shirts, sit down, and I'll be back with some sanitizer." The man strode off and Nico immediately began unbuttoning his shirt, looking almost bored with the whole thing. Will's eyes immediately drank in the sight of his shirtless boyfriend.

His back, arms, and chest were nearly covered with beautiful illustrations and ancient Greek symbols. Over the last year or so, Will had gotten acquainted with each of those tattoos, had heard all of their stories. Will's fingers itched with the desire to trace the outlines of Nico's black wings on his back for the millionth time. "You're staring again," Nico muttered before lying down on the reclined chair.

"Can't help it," Will chuckled before shyly taking off his t-shirt. "You're just so distracting."

Nico hummed as Will sat down on the chair beside him. He was too nervous to lie down. "Just relax," Nico told him. "It's not like you're getting a whole back-piece, right?"

Will blew out a sigh. "Yeah, I know. It's just… man, I hope my mom never finds out." He chuckled. "I can't even imagine her reaction if she found out I ever even walked into a tattoo parlor."

Nico smirked at that. "Good to know I've had an influence on you."

"Yeah, a _bad one,"_ Will teased. "I mean, before I met you I was a straight-A student, who went to bed before ten and woke up at seven, went jogging every morning, was the epitome of health and class!"

"You're still all of that," Nico pointed out. "It's just now you're not a _complete_ loser."

"Hey!"

Just then, the tattoo artist came back. "You guys ready?" he asked with a grin. Nico nodded while Will gave a sort of whimper.

Will held onto Nico's hand the entire time, squeezing until he could feel his boyfriend's joints pop. Nico cursed but never let go, even when Will pulled on his arm sharply as the needle hit a particularly sensitive part of skin. It had hurt – felt a bit like a long, burning bee-sting. As soon as he spotted a bit of blood beading against his skin, Will broke into a loud, overreacting, provocative rant. _"You guys use sterile needles, right? What the hell are you doing? I'm supposed to be getting a tattoo not getting BUTCHERED!"_

Nico barely even batted an eye but he had laughed through Will's outbursts. Still, their hands stayed clasped, suspended in the air between their chairs amongst the profanities and the steady buzz of the machines.

"Well?" Nico asked once they'd finished.

Will was busy observing himself in the mirror. He had to admit it. He looked pretty cool. He struck a few poses and grinned back at Nico. "I like it. You?"

Nico grinned and rested his chin on Will's shoulder. "I like it _very_ much."

Will turned so that he could look at Nico's. Right above his heart, emblazoned with beautiful reds and yellows, was an ornate, detailed sun. It popped out against the rest of his dark tattoos, drew Will's eyes right to it. Likewise, he could feel Nico's gaze lingering on Will's tattoo, in the same place. It was a decorative crescent moon, lavished with tranquil blues and purples, a stark contrast to Nico's. It fit them perfectly.

"If we stand like this," Will said suddenly, shifting so that their tattoos aligned, "it's like the sun and moon are meeting. Like an eclipse."

Nico stared up at him, thoughtful.

"Together," he said, cupping Nico's cheek, "we can take it to the end of the line."

Nico's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

 _"And I need you now tonight!"_ Will broke into song suddenly, pulling Nico into a dance. _"And I need you more than ever!"_

"OH MY GOD. NO."

_"Forever's gonna start tonight!"_

"William Solace, I swear to God—!"

_"FOREVER'S GONNA START TONIGHT!"_

Nico slapped a hand over Will's mouth, blushing bright red and looking at the door in embarrassment. "Jeez! I can't take you anywhere without you making a fool of yourself, can I?"

Will chuckled, removing Nico's hand in order to push a kiss to it. He winked at Nico's half-embarrassed, half-amused expression and held him close so that their tattoos nearly lined up again. He opened his mouth to finish off his song, but Nico swooped in to stop him with a very demanding kiss. Will laughed into the kiss before returning it, deciding that he could wait a few minutes to embarrass his boyfriend further.

_A total eclipse of the heart._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you get all the references then you get a virtual high-five. :3


	4. Encore I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter takes place between the events of Chapter 2 and 3 plus Nico’s POV of the kiss which was heavily requested as well. :3

It was cold walking across campus. Then again, it probably didn't help that he was only wearing his thin leather jacket and skinny jeans with the holes in them. Nico didn't particularly care – not as long as Will kept glancing at his legs like that. He could sense Will's gaze on him throughout the entire night, lingering down his body and back up. When he spoke, he looked directly into Nico's eyes with a kind of fond softness that startled him. Nico never had someone look at him so tenderly, lovingly. It sent a spark of longing throughout him, sent him wanting to know what it felt like to have their lips pressing together. Nico was certain that, if nothing else, it would be a great way to warm up.

And then the idiot actually took out a piece of gum. Nico's stomach was churning with the amount of effort it took to keep from mauling the man right then and there. Will was practically _begging_ to be kissed at that point – offering himself up all minty fresh and tantalizingly adorkable with his knit cap and wide eyes _._

And, speaking of gum. "By the way," he said, surprising the both of them, "I'm out of that shitty gum."

Will blinked at him, shivering slightly from the chill, before breaking into a nervous grin. "Y-yeah? I told'ja it would help-p!"

Nico tried not to roll his eyes, but it happened anyways. "I'm not admitting anything. Just tell me where to get some more."

Will laughed softly under his breath. Did he have any idea how much that messed with Nico's head? "I don't want you becoming addicted to those, too!" he protested. "You're gonna have to find something else to curb your cravings on."

It was practically an open invitation to ogle Will's body. He couldn't have stopped himself even if he tried. It felt like something was tightening up in his throat. "Is that right?"

To Nico's surprise, Will shuddered again. "Y-yeah. That's what I said."

Nico smirked even though Will couldn't see it. "And what are you chewing?"

Will blew a small bubble. The _tease._ Nico caught a whiff of spearmint. "It's normal gum. And I don't have any more so don't even ask!"

Nico raised an eyebrow. Will couldn't be _that_ oblivious, could he? Couldn't he see how Nico was staring _right at his lips?_ He huffed before noticing that they were passing the library. He stopped. "Fine."

Will turned around, hands stuffed in his pockets and a little confused frown on his lips. "What? I'm freezing my ass off, man!"

"Will," Nico whispered, softer than he'd meant, and Will tensed up. Nico was playing dirty, he knew it himself, but a thrill ran through him at Will's reaction. Nico never said his first name. It was too personal, too dangerous, but it just felt right. It felt natural to break the distance between them, place his hands on Will's shoulders, and crash their lips together.

Will was frozen beneath him, yet so warm and soft. For a terrifying moment, Nico thought Will was going to push him away but suddenly Will was cupping his cheeks, his thumbs were tracing his cheekbones, and he was kissing back, returning the same fervor that Nico was showing. Nico had been right; he felt warmth down to his toes and up to the tip of his fingers. Will's lips were radiating it – heat – and he couldn't get enough.

Someone let out a growl – was that _him?_ – and before Nico could even comprehend what was happening Will went, _"Oof!"_ and Nico realized that, somehow, he'd pinned Will against the brick wall. Guilty, but having no intention of stopping, Nico rested his forearm against the brick so that Will's head was pillowed against it and not the harsh rock. It dug into his arm a little, but Will gave a little hum and there wasn't much thought after that. He felt a shiver run down his spine, emotions that were completely new and terrifying swarmed through him and he needed more. Suddenly, all at once, Nico's tongue was parting his lips, exploring, searching, and Will met him. _God._

Then, the tip of Nico's tongue met something minty and he smiled into the kiss, backing away once he'd claimed what he'd been after in the first place. Will's face was flushed, his eyes wide and bright, and he was gripping the sides of Nico's jacket, keeping him close. "W-wow…" Will breathed, sounding awed. He looked so _ravished,_ yet so innocent Nico couldn't help but put one more peck onto those lips.

"You really never stop surprising me, Solace," Nico whispered and immediately wanted to smack himself. _This is too close. This is too personal. Watch yourself, di Angelo._

Will's face suddenly went from dazed to affronted and Nico prepped himself for the shouting, the furious declarations of rejection and humiliation, but Will just gasped. "Y-you!" Nico suddenly realized what Will was so upset about and relief filled him. Just to be a tease, he blew a little bubble with the stolen gum. "Th-that's my…!"

"Sorry, Sunshine," Nico muttered. "But you're not the only one that takes something when they want it."

Will's cheeks turned pink and Nico wanted to feel them against his palms. He patted it carefully, trying to act distant, trying not to let it show just how bad he had it for this guy. Their eyes met and it just became too much again. Nico's heart seized up and he had to turn away to hide his own blush.

"W-wait!" Will called after him. "Nico!"

He sounded so frantic. A bubble of laughter burst past his lips before he could stop it. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Will following him worriedly. Nico decided, right then, that he wasn't going to let this one go. He winked. "Don't worry. I'll see you around, Solace."

…

"What do you mean you kissed Nico di Angelo?" Lou Ellen gasped, slamming her fists on the café table.

Will sighed dreamily and rested his cheek upon his hand. "Aw, man, Lou. It was… awesome."

Lou Ellen's eye twitched. "I still don't understand."

Cecil was sitting in the middle, clad in a large plaid shirt and a grey beanie, nervously mixing his tea with a spoon and glancing between them. Will had been acting odder than usual ever since the weekend. Cecil had been particularly worried, as his best friend hadn't so much as glanced at his homework since Friday morning. Schoolwork was Priority One for Will. For him to just suddenly ignore it even for a day, there had to be something on his mind.

Cecil just never imagined it would be _this._

"Well, Lou, you see, when two people lean in real close and push their lips together, that's called a kiss. And it–"

"William!" Lou Ellen interrupted. "I meant _what happened_ that made you want to kiss _Nico di Angelo?"_

Will hummed and absentmindedly stirred his mocha with a coffee-stirrer. He was grinning like a goofy doofus but he probably didn't even notice. "I don't really know," he admitted. "One minute we were fighting about gum and the next – oh man – my gum was in his mouth and I just blanked after that."

Cecil choked on his tea. Without glancing at him, Lou Ellen patted his back heavily, which only served to harm him further. Each blow felt like a karate-chop to his spinal cord and, _damn,_ why was she so _strong?_ "Just like that? Out of the blue?" she questioned. "Why didn't you tell Cecil and me?"

Will shrugged. "Cecil knew I was hanging out with him."

Oh, that _bastard._

Lou Ellen's smile became strained and her hand clutched Cecil's shoulder painfully. He squawked as tea spilled over the top of his cup. "Did he?" she whispered in a tone that Cecil knew meant he was going to get a long lecture later.

Cecil glanced in dismay at his best friend. "Et tu, bro?"

Will smiled sheepishly and scratched his cheek. "Sorry, man. Lou Ellen, let the man breathe, will you?"

She released him and Cecil groaned at the feel of blood rushing back into his arm. He rotated his shoulder. _"Thank_ you, Mrs. Man Hands," he muttered. "Damn. Ever think of changing your major to arm wrestling and beer guzzling?"

Lou Ellen ignored him, which was just as well. He picked up his spoon again, relieved that her focus had gone back to Will and his… interesting development with the Italian punk in his art history. Cecil supposed, with the way Will had been chatting his ear off about the guy, he should have seen it coming. He simply hadn't put together the pieces. Will had always been an outgoing guy. He had just figured Will was trying to be a nice guy.

"Look, I don't see why it's such a big deal!" Will said with a laugh. "I like him. What's wrong with that?"

Lou Ellen's tense posture relaxed and she sank back in her chair. "Well, no, that's not what I meant. There's nothing wrong with that, Will. We're just…" She glanced helplessly at Cecil, who shrugged.

"Don't look at me. I didn't even know he was into guys until twelve minutes ago, to be honest." There was a bitter undertone to his voice that he hoped Will hadn't caught onto. He was a bit stung that Will had never told him – they were roommates, for God's sake! _Best_ friends! It was information he would have liked to know about someone that knew every embarrassing secret, mistake, and fact about him. Still, he didn't want to start a fuss, especially when he was already getting the third degree from Lou Ellen. _Man,_ was it satisfying to see her pick on somebody else for a bit.

"Aw, Cecil!" Will groaned. "I didn't mean it like that..."

"So, are you bi, then?" Lou Ellen asked blatantly. "You dated Drew Tanaka last semester. As in, female."

Will shrugged. Evidently he had not given it much thought. "I don't know. I don't think gender really matters to me at all, really. I like who I like?"

Cecil started anxiously stirring his tea again. His spoon made an unnaturally loud clanking noise as Lou Ellen seemed to think over Will's words. "All right," she said finally and relaxed in her seat. She picked up her hot chocolate and blew at it. Cecil raised his eyebrows. That was rare. Usually Lou Ellen would push and shove until she had every last detail but she seemed perfectly content. Then, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes and Cecil bit back a smile. "So… are you going to see him again?"

Will snorted. "We're in the same class, Lou."

"That's not what I meant." She winked. "Are you going to _see him_ again?"

"She means are you guys gonna date or what?" Cecil interjected. "And, frankly, I'd like to know, too. Because I don't want to walk into our room and find you two making out."

Will's face went red. "J-jeez, I don't know! I haven't talked to him since… since…" Then, his expression turned panicky, as if he just started thinking about it. "He said that he would see me around."

Lou Ellen hummed. "Did he say that with, like, a wink or a grin?"

"I-I think so. It was dark?"

Cecil and Lou Ellen snorted.

"What? Is that bad?" Will squeaked and held his head. "I have to see him in twenty minutes! What am I gonna do now that you got me all nervous!"

"Calm down, Juliet," Cecil said. "Just act like you always do. Actually, scratch that. Act like a suave version of you. Cool, calm."

"How the heck am I supposed to do that?" Will glared at him. "And why am I _Juliet?"_

"I don't see Nico exactly donning a dress and heels, do you?" Cecil teased.

Will's blush deepened. "Great. Now I have _that_ in my head. Thanks."

"No problem."

"Look, Will," Lou Ellen cut across them, "just talk to him."

"Talk to him. I can do that. Yeah."

After delivering a hell of a prep-talk, Cecil and Lou Ellen watched as Will confidently walked out of the coffee shop, slinging his bag over one shoulder and practically skipping.

Lou Ellen raised her coffee to her lips and smirked. "I bet you five bucks he chickens out."

"Oh, you're so on."

…

What if he wasn't coming?

Will glanced nervously from the clock to the door and then to the empty seat beside him. He hadn't even thought about what would happen if Nico didn't show to class. Maybe Nico had second thoughts, or decided that Will was not experienced enough for him, or Will had done something wrong. He drummed his fingers on the desk in time with the clock, trying to look nonchalant.

Each time the classroom doors opened, Will would abandon said nonchalance and spin in his seat like an eager puppy only to sink back into his seat and sulk. His anxiety tripled when the professor came into the auditorium. _He's not coming,_ Will thought, and his heart sank right to his shoes.

_He's not coming because he doesn't want to see you._

The professor called for attention, and class started, and the empty seat beside Will seemed to mock him.

Will barely paid any mind to the long lecture on Monet. He mechanically copied what was on the PowerPoint presentation while his thoughts stewed in self-vindictive criticisms. Had Will assumed too much? Was this something that was normal for college students? Did Nico just want to fool around on occasion? Did he just want a casual fling?

Because Will didn't want that. He wanted dates and second dates, and he wanted to be able to show Nico off to his friends, his family, and he wanted to hold his hand and tell him exactly what he felt for him. He wanted a relationship. And, most of all, he didn't want to have his heart broken.

His eyes were stinging, which was odd. He had no idea what could be causing that. If he stared at the board long enough, the stinging would stop eventually.

…

After class, Will was shocked to see that he had a text from Nico. He was both excited and nervous to read it. He stared at his notification for a long time, at the pixelated name, and then manned up. He unlocked his phone and opened his inbox.

**_Hey Jason and his friend Percy got wasted last night and I had to babysit cant make class._ **

Cautious, hopeful relief flooded him. Suddenly, it was like he learnt how to breathe all over again. He eagerly typed out a reply.

**_Look at you being Mr. Responsible! ;) That's fine. I have the notes, though. If you want I can drop by and give them to you._ **

He sent it nervously. He wanted answers whether it was a confirmation or a declination. He had to know where Nico stood on this, and he had to know what the other night meant to the Italian. To Will, it meant a lot. It meant _too much._

But, what did it mean to Nico?

His phone buzzed and he almost ran into a parked car as he walked and typed.

**_That would be great. Jason and Percy just went to get breakfast/lunch if u wanna come by now?_ **

Did Nico sound nervous? That was actually reassuring, and a little flattering. Will found a tired smile pushing at his lips.

**_So, brunch? And, yeah, sure! I'll be right up! :)_ **

He stared at the emoticon for a moment. Was that too suggestive? Will really just wanted to talk things out. He didn't want Nico to assume anything else, especially if they weren't on the same page and Will was overthinking the entire thing. He pocketed his phone and headed for Nico's dorm, cheeks blazing.

Nico's dorm wasn't far from the building their art history class was in, which made Nico's frequent tardiness all the more irritating to Will. If their talk went well today – which, _god,_ did he hope it would go well – then he was going to make it a point to drag the other boy out of bed and to class.

He didn't bother waiting for the elevator. He started jogging up the stairway and realized too late that Nico was on the seventh floor. By the time he made it to his floor, Will was out of breath and wheezing. He should have brought his inhaler.

He stumbled towards Nico's room, telling himself he was _not_ seeing spots, and haphazardly knocked on the door. He heard footsteps approaching, a crash, a muffled swear, and then the door opened. Nico certainly looked as though he'd been babysitting two drunks all night. His hair was a wreck. There were bags under his eyes. And his clothing looked rumpled and dirty. Will's heart still somehow tripped over itself when he saw him.

He broke into a wide smile. "Hi."

Nico answered him with a small twitch of the lips. "Hey. Uh, why are you so sweaty? Did you… did you _run_ all the way up here?"

Will laughed breathily, still panting, and ran a hand through his hair. "Aha, I just took the stairs. Thought it would be quicker than taking the elevator."

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah, starting to realize that."

Nico snorted and stepped to the side. "Well, uh, come on in. But I warn you, it's still a mess."

"No problem," Will assured and happily entered. When he saw the state of the room, however, he choked on nothing and held his chest. "Are you sure you weren't babysitting the Tasmanian Devil?"

Nico didn't laugh. He just kicked a dirty shirt underneath Jason's bed in an attempt to tidy up. Will noticed him fussing with his hair and then spotted a bunch of dirty laundry and trash shoved in inconspicuous spaces, as if someone had rushed to make the room look presentable. Will bit back a smile and fought the urge to clean and scrub every inch of the room. Maybe he was a clean freak, but the thought of Nico di Angelo running around in a panic to clean up before Will came to see him was a bit cute.

"My roommate is a pig and I'm not around enough to bother with cleaning." He shrugged.

"It's fine," he assured again. He stood in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do, until Nico sat down on his unmade bed and gestured for him to sit beside him. Feeling a thrill of being in _Nico di Angelo's bed,_ he quickly sat down, barely touching it. Nico didn't comment.

"So…" he started.

Will's heart thrummed in his ears. "So…?"

Nico raised an eyebrow. "The notes?"

"Oh." Will deflated. "Notes. Right. I have them right here." He pulled his bag towards him and dug out his notebook.

Nico took it. "Thanks," he muttered.

"It's not a problem. You can just return it in class on Thursday, and if you have any questions you can just, you know, text me. Whenever."

Nico pursed his lips, nodded wordlessly, and stared at the notebook. He opened it and mindlessly traced over Will's neat cursive handwriting. Will wasn't sure what to do. He just awkwardly drummed his fingers on thighs and blew out a long, nervous exhale.

Several awkward silent moments pass before Nico, surprisingly, was the one to break the silence. "I'm not good at this," he admitted.

Will jumped and stared at him. "What do you mean?"

Nico flushed. He gestured between them. "This. Small talk. Talking in general. I usually wreck it."

Will's lips twitched. "I see. So that's why you haven't texted since the weekend."

Nico flinched. He might have looked guilty, but Will wasn't mad. He was a little amused. It was rare to see the Italian so flustered and nervous. It was actually really, really endearing. He had it so bad for this guy. "Yeah… about this weekend."

Will's stomach turned to stone. The happy feeling was far gone, replaced with anxious dread. He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat and thought of their kiss. This was going to be the part where Nico told him it was a mistake, and that they never should have kissed, that they were too different, that Will wasn't his type, and that would be it. "This weekend," he choked out.

Nico tensed up, too. "I… I'm sorry if I… If I made you feel – I know that it was sudden and I don't want –"

"Nico, it's okay," Will whispered. "You don't have to apologize for anything. The fact is…" Wow, it was really hot in this room. He gulped before continuing. He might as well put all the cards on the table. "The fact of it all is… I wanted you to. I wanted you to since… since the start of the whole semester." Nico gazed at him with wide eyes. Will wanted to run out of the room but he had that compulsive nervous tick to keep talking. "So I don't regret what happened, but at the same time I won't hold you to anything. It was just a kiss, and it was great – _really great –_ but it doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to."

Will stared at the posters on Jason's side of the room. Nico gaze slowly drifted from him to the floor. His grip tightened on the notebook. It was quiet for a long time. Neither of them knew what to do next.

Then, barely inaudible, Nico whispered back, "It means something."

Will turned so fast his neck cracked. Nico was scowling at the notebook, determined not to make eye contact.

"I've never had a relationship," Nico ground out. "I've never really let anyone that close but… well… you're… you're _you_ and you're so goddamn annoying! It's like a song I can't get out of my head and I – that sounds so stupid. You _make me stupid,_ Solace!"

A smile slowly grew on Will's face as his brain processed what exactly Nico was telling him. He chuckled. "Are you telling me you like me or insulting me? I can't tell."

Nico weakly shoved him to the side and Will let out a hoarse laugh. "Idiot," Nico hissed. "Both."

Will's smile got even bigger. "Well, you're not a walk in the park either, you know."

Nico shot him an unamused glare.

"No, really. You're rude, and you don't ever do your homework, and you skip class, and you act like you're so tough and broody and, God, you have the creepiest sense of humor and you _are so grumpy all the time._ " He listed them off his fingers, satisfied with the deep shade of red on Nico's face. He inched closer until their arms touch. "And I can't get you out of my head, either."

Nico bit his lower lip. "This is stupid."

"Really stupid," Will agreed.

"We literally have nothing in common."

"We have in common the fact that we have nothing in common."

Nico moved closer. "But."

"Yeah. I like buts."

Nico blinked at him then broke into laughter while Will groaned and slapped his forehead.

"I didn't mean it like that! I don't like butts. I mean, okay, it's not like I _don't_. But, l-like, not in a we-weird dirty way! NOT… that I'm not opposed to the idea but it's too soon and I – _oh my God, am I still talk—?"_

Nico interrupted him with a sudden kiss, which was a very effective way to stop Will's incessant blathering. He melted into the kiss at once, not even flinching when Nico tangled his fingers into his hair and yanked him closer. Nico was rough, that much had already been apparent to Will, and he had to admit it was really attractive. He hummed appreciatively as Nico coaxed him closer and they fell over on the bed with a huff.

Several long, drawn-out moments later, they pulled apart with a gasp, staring at each other in shock. "So," Will started again, and Nico broke into beautiful laughter.

"So," he agreed. He ran a thumb across Will's cheek. "I'm shit at small talk. And I'm an expensive date."

Will laughed. He leaned his nose against Nico's happily. "I talk too much and my parents are doctors so money has always been… well…" He shrugged.

Nico hummed. "We might not have much in common, but what was it they say about opposites?"

Will beamed. "They attract."

Nico looked satisfied with that answer and pulled him into another quick, chaste kiss. When they parted, Nico said, "So, we're doing this."

"Boyfriends," Will said as if they were discussing a business proposal.

Nico's eyes were soft, fond. "Yeah."

As they marveled over that fact, it suddenly became apparent that he had made a promise to himself to do something if their talk went well. "Oh yeah," he said quickly, "hope you're ready to wake up at seven every morning."

Nico gave him a horrified look.

Will grinned cheekily. "You're never missing art history again."

Nico chuckled. "God help me," he said, "but I'm actually looking forward to it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re coming from tumblr, I am so sorry! Hahah Happy April Fool’s Day! :D I really wasn’t going to continue this but you guys are so sweet and I’ve been getting requests out the wazoo for this AU so.. here we are.


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